keeping families connected
Thursday, April 14, 2011 Like any out-of-state parent, Jeni Makinen knows the value of having resources that connect you to your child while they are in college. The Makinen family lives in Fort Collins, Colo. Her daughter Claire is a freshman business student who decided on ASU after visiting the campus in her senior year of high school.
“She had a connection to it,” said Makinen. But like any parent, sending her student off to another state was unnerving. Read More |
remaining involved as an out-of-state parent
Monday, February 07, 2011 As an out-of-state mother, Sandra Sifferman knows how hard it can be to live away from your child while they are in college.
Sandra is the proud mother of two Sun Devils. Her oldest son, Scott, graduated in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Steven, her youngest, is a freshman physics major at Barrett, the Honors College.
Ever since Scott started at ASU over ten years ago, Sandra has known the benefits of having an organization like the Parents Association available to provide resources that better the experience of both students and parents. Read More |
Board member Jodi Christensen reflects on ASUPA impact
Tuesday, July 06, 2010 Neither Mac Christensen nor his parents can believe three years of college have already passed. But as he prepares for his final year working toward a degree in marketing from the W.P. Carey School of Business, everyone agrees ASU has been a great choice. His involvement in the university, from the American Marketing Association to intramural sports, has opened many doors in his personal and professional life.
Mac isn’t the only one who has dived into the ASU lifestyle. In her third year on the board of the Parent’s Association, Jodi Christensen is still amazed at the impact the Association has on students, parents and the ASU community.
“Being part of such a vital, productive organization is extremely rewarding,” Jodi says. “The scholarships we award truly change the lives of these young adults, and the Professor of the Year Program allows us to see and reward the contributions the faculty makes to all our students. The parents I talk to at Orientation are surprised to learn about everything we do.”
The entire family is looking forward to Mac’s final year at ASU as well as Jodi’s last year with the ASUPA board. But graduation isn’t the end — Jodi plans to continue to volunteer as a PLUM (Parent of an Alum) after Mac receives his degree, taking advantage of the many opportunities involvement with the ASUPA provides. Read More |
ASU inspires a student’s passion for service
Friday, June 11, 2010 As she neared the day she would receive her diploma, ASU graduate Julie Ryan was wavering about her commitment to join the Peace Corps.
The Spring 2009 commencement speech delivered by President Barack Obama changed that.
“As soon as she heard him speak, she told us she was going where ever Peace Corps sent her,” says Dave Ryan, Julie’s father.
Julie was assigned to a tiny village called Le Paz Centro, about 30 miles south of Leon, Nicaragua. In May, Dave and his wife Fran made the trip to visit the Central American country, spending several days with Julie in her village and watching her interact with her teaching counterparts and the kids in her school.
“Julie has blossomed incredibly in this environment and has complete command of the language, customs, and respect of the people she teaches and supports,” Dave Ryan says. “This passion for service was with her from a young age but it really came together at ASU!”
The family also journeyed to Ometepe in the southern part of Nicaragua — an island formed by two volcanoes that sits in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. They spent several days sightseeing and enjoying spectacular views, like a 500-foot cascading waterfall tumbling from the side of a volcano.
ASU inspires students and their parents to see — and change — the world. Help us continue to support families by becoming a contributing member of the Parents Association today.
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Seattle mom Peggy Camden, (proud parent of Erin, class of '05) spearheads Pacific Northwest regional event
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Always willing to help with Parents Association activities while her daughter was a student at ASU, Peggy continued to stay involved even after daughter Erin graduated. Peggy volunteered to help with orientation activities in the Seattle area, greeting new parents and answering questions as a 'seasoned parent'. This past November, Peggy thought it would be a lot of fun to organize a University of Washington/ASU tailgate.
With the help of current Parents Association board member and Seattle mom Janna Harala, (Elle, class of '12), they invited local parents to 'tailgate' at a local restaurant and make ASU connections before the game. Photo below - ASU moms Janna, Peggy and Shelley welcome families, students and alumni to the Parents Association UW/ASU tailgate. To see more fun photos of this event click here.
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